Pools tips and best bets for weekend of February 20-21

Ten draws: Blackburn v West Ham, Brentford v Derby, Huddersfield v Wolves, Chesterfield v Crewe, Fleetwood v Scunthorpe, Walsall v Wigan, Barnet v AFC Wimbledon, Exeter v Newport, Kilmarnock v Dundee, Morton v Falkirk.

Best draws: Blackburn v West Ham, Brentford v Derby, Chesterfield v Crewe, Walsall v Wigan, Exeter v Newport.

Best weekend away bets: Everton, Bristol City, Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Rangers.

Best weekend home bets: Chelsea, Reading, Tottenham, Burnley, Bury, Swindon, Bristol Rovers, Mansfield, Raith, East Stirling.


Pick of the draws: By all accounts, Championship side Blackburn played really well to beat Fulham 3-0 at home in midweek and they have a puncher's chance against West Ham in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday. West Ham, seventh in the Premier League, are no slouches away from home but they have been weakened by injuries. Brentford and Derby, two out-of-form teams, play each other in the Championship on Saturday and I don't fancy either of them to produce something special. Crewe, third from bottom in League One, are unbeaten in their past six league games but five of them have been draws. Another stalemate looks likely when they travel to Chesterfield, who are just above the drop zone. Only one point and one place separates high-flyers Walsall and Wigan, who meet on Saturday. A draw is the likeliest result. Newport are pulling away from the League Two relegation zone and I'm backing them to hold Exeter, who are up and down like a yo-yo.

Away days: Everton's best Premier League results this season have come away, so they shouldn't be fazed by a trip to Bournemouth in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday, especially as Bournemouth have lost two on the trot at home which must have shaken their confidence. Bristol City seem to be moving in the right direction under new manager Lee Johnson and are worth a punt at MK Dons, who are just above them in the lower reaches of the Championship. Higher up the table, Sheffield Wednesday's good form cannot be ignored and they will probably return from Preston with three more points. In League Two, Plymouth look certainties for promotion and I expect them to confirm their superiority over Crawley, who lost heavily at Accrington last weekend. Promotion-chasing Portsmouth gained an overdue victory last Saturday and they will be confident of carrying on the good work at lowly Yeovil. Rangers won their Scottish Cup fifth-round replay at Kilmarnock in midweek and the runaway Championship leaders are recommended at Queen of the South on Sunday.

Homes sweet homes: I rate Chelsea one of the best bets of this weekend when they host Manchester City in the FA Cup fifth round. Chelsea have not lost in the league or cup since Gus Hiddink was appointed manager. Meanwhile, City seem on a downward spiral after two consecutive home defeats and don't appear to have an appetite for this competition. If there's an FA Cup upset this weekend, I can see Reading, of the Championship, providing it. Their opponents are West Bromwich Albion, who impressed nobody when edging past League One Peterborough in the last round and are finding goals hard to come by. East Stirling's 3-0 win at Queen's Park in Scottish League Two last Saturday raised a few eyebrows as it was the bottom club's first victory on the road this season. Their home record is much better and I'm taking them to get the better of Annan, who are slipping down the table.

Pools info: The FA Cup tie between Shrewsbury and Manchester United (No 6 on the coupon) has been moved to Monday and will be judged by the pools panel.